Senate Committee Upholds Double Majority for Constitutional Amendment.

Bangkok: The Senate referendum committee has voted to maintain the two-tier majority requirement for amending the constitution, preparing the proposal for Senate consideration on December 16 and the House of Representatives on December 18. Notably, the Bhumjaithai Party abstained from the vote, with 'Wuttichai' emphasizing the importance of public participation in this significant constitutional matter. According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Krit Eua-wong, spokesman of the joint committee tasked with reviewing the draft referendum act of the parliament, announced that the committee voted 13 to 9 in favor of maintaining the referendum criteria involving the constitution's double majority requirement as amended by the Senate. This stipulates that more than half of the eligible voters must participate in the referendum, and the majority result is required. The committee saw three abstentions: Pol. Maj. Gen. Chatwat Saengphet, Senate member and committee chairman; Mr. Chaichanok Chidchob, MP for Buriram and Bhumjait hai Party secretary-general; and Mr. Krawee Prisananantakul, MP for Ang Thong, Bhumjaithai Party. Mr. Krit further detailed the next steps, stating that the committee will reconvene on December 4 to finalize the report before submitting it to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate. Both houses are set to reconsider the proposal, with the Senate reviewing it on December 16 and the House on December 18. Should either house disagree with the committee's amendments, the draft law will be put on hold for 180 days before being returned to the House of Representatives to decide whether to uphold the House's version or adopt the Senate's amendments. Mr. Wuttichai Kalyanamitra, a Senate member and spokesman for the joint committee on the referendum bill, reiterated the Senate's commitment to this constitutional amendment process. He highlighted the amendment's significance and stressed the necessity for widespread public involvement, underscoring that the referendum directly bene fits the populace. Consequently, the Senate reaffirmed its original resolution.